I'm not sure anymore whether I'm supposed to be excited about this. The controversial new font and misplaced serifs have me thinking that switching to Nike was actually a big mistake. I've been on pins and needles for 391 days and now I'm just feeling deflated and defeated. Even if we win the NC this year, just having to look at the hideous numbers on the uniforms will make it a disappointment for me.

As an intellectual property lawyer I cringe when you use the term "wordmark" and go on how it looks different than the old "wordmark". A wordmark in the trademark world is a particular kind of trademark that specifically indicates that the font, typeface, coloration, whatevs, of the word is irrelevant and just the word(s), alone, represents the protected mark.

I know that wordmark has another meaning in the graphic design arena, but even then it refers to a unique or readily recognizable typeface. Here, adding a chamfer or a sarif onto a couple letters just doesn't seem to meet the criteria of a "new" wordmark that anyone could possibly differentiate from the old without a side-by-side comparison.

I'm not mad at you, but repeatedly commenting on how this version is new and sensational is a little annoying and looks like an attempt to show how much bigger of a fan you are than the rest of us that don't notice such minutiae.

I disagree. The term "Wordmark" dates back to branding cattle in the 1700's where the font of different "Brands" were posted at local saloons. The village men would then look at these wordmarks over and over again at the local saloons before the spawn of new cattle. They noted how each farm's wordmarks had changed, or had not, and continued to bash every other farm's brand, but not their own. Then milking season commenced and nobody cared except for the Maryland farmers. They always were laughed at for trying too hard.

Maybe it's just me, but we could go out there wearing the bumblebee uniforms and I won't give a fuck as long as we win a national championship. If we win it all then nothing else matters. But, that's just like my opinion, man.

I just re-read what you wrote after waking up a little and holy shit you couldn't have made it any more obvious. A total miss by me. I mean, I still don't give a damn as long as we win a title but good Lord was I off. Don't wake up off of 5 hours of sleep and immediately mgoblog, friends.

I will always be convinced that the difference between those gnarly MSU combat uniforms and the little bee flitting from flower to flower regalia that our players were tricked to sport around in is what actually cost us that game.

I am Central too and I thought that too at first, but it is more likely that the mden countdown is just not adjusted to the computer time zone. Wouldn't make sense for the website to open up at midnight eastern if you are eastern, but hold out those in other time zones until midnight local.

I was bringing up the MGoMobile app and was thinking, "what are the chances WD has us a thread about Jordan/Nike today?" Thanks for not disappointing. I mean that sincerely. I'll be with you in spirit at the event, and I'll be at my computer at the specified time to aim the money cannon at MDen. Enjoy the day!

Not sure if this is new news, but there was an article today about the Nike contract, specifically the exact royalties. The AD will be getting a decent chunk of these sales:

According to its contract with Nike, U-M is paid 15 percent net sales royalties by Nike on all licensed products other than footwear. U-M receives 5 percent of net sales royalties on footwear products.

Somebody sell me on why I should attend this event. Full disclosure, I am going. I am just not entirely sure why, other than to buy some clothes I can buy any day hereafter and to possibly get a glimpse of some key M luminaries. I am going with a friend who has been annoying me about going and I finally caved and agreed, assuming this is some sort of happening and as such, something cool will take place that I can look back on and say "that was a good time."

I went into the Niketown in LA today and asked if they were getting any Michigan Jordan brand stuff this week. The response "I wish". The stuff (especially the Jordan stuff) might be a bit more limited at first than we thought.

Wouldn't surprise me if they kept the initial run limited to the local market and basic online sales to avoid a mass leak of the designs, because apparently that's a big deal. You have every Nike store in America getting Michigan gear last week, and every other store getting it, some lower-level employee with a smartphone is getting that stuff on Twitter within minutes of the boxes being opened.

I'm actually encouraged by this. Perhaps they are making the vast majority available thru M Den so that Michigan fans can get their hands on it first and in one place. That way it isn't sitting on a full rack in Mobile, AL while fans in A2 can't buy it locally.

I'm loving the live videos by Michigan Athletics on FB. Just posted one of sombody walking through MDen showing a lot of the stuff. A lot of it looks awesome so far, I'm a big fan of the pullovers and jackets I'm seeing. Can't complain about anything I've seen. Wasn't sure how excited I'd be, but seeing all the new stuff has me planning on picking up a lot of new gear.